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First it was Georgian wine and Belarusian milk; now Russia has banned a
popular brand of Ukrainian chocolate over health concerns that fit
suspiciously neatly with the Kremlin’s political agenda.

Gennady Onishchenko, Russia’s chief health inspector, announced the ban on
products from Roshen, the Ukrainian confectioner, citing a report by the
public health and consumer goods watchdog that detected “systemic
violations” in Roshen confectionery.

Coming immediately after President Putin returned empty handed from bilateral
talks in Kiev, the announcement followed similar crackdowns on exports from
former Soviet countries at moments of diplomatic strain.